I belong to a couple of Saori groups on Facebook. There is always a hot debate on what is considered Saori style weaving in relationship to what can be posted to the group. Saori is a beautiful fiber art practice. Here is straight up why I am not a full on Saori weaver, and how it differs from the freeform art weaving that I do.
Side note on some tech issues:
After some major tech difficulties while live (let me tell you juggling tech issues by myself while live is no fun) I abandoned the original stream and opened a new one. Thanks for all who were flexible and moved to the new stream. And thanks for being patient while I try to hammer the ongoing tech issue out. I know watching a bad live stream can be frustrating. Believe me it is way more of a nightmare and super stressful on my end. Your patience is appreciated.
Here is the replay of Saori vs Freeform Weaving: What is the Difference:
To see the live chat, head over to YouTube, or watch using your You Tube app on your device.
Here are the show notes Saori vs Freeform Weaving: What is the Difference:
Here is the official Saori website
Here is Dawn’s website (she also sells Saori looms)
I belong to this, this, this and this Saori group on FB
Here is the free freeform art weaving class I offer
Here is the video on hemstitching and finishing
In this video you can see how I start a weaving off
Check out my free online art weaving class
Start art weaving in 3 easy lessons
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Fiber artist Stacey Budge-Kamison AKA UrbanGypZ lives and works in Cary NC. She can also be found knitting in public, hammering out her latest e-course at local cafés and spinning yarns in her booth at her favorite arts festivals. A designer at heart, Stacey has decided that her mission is to help fellow knitters, crocheters, weavers and felters embrace their own style and creativity by exploring fiber art as it is a part of their everyday life and helping them embrace the title of artist no matter where they are in their journey. 
I have been watching your videos for at least a year or more and really like to listen to you but it its increasingly difficult to follow all the stop and starts that happen in the video. The connections are bad and the voice overs make it hard to follow.On this last video about saori vs freeform weaving the video just stopped. I wish there was some way to fix this-I’m sure you do also.Is this what happens when someone signs up for one of your classes? I hope not-well we will see what happens next week.
Trust me… it is far more maddening on my end. I have been trying to get a resolve from my ISP. Short of moving, I am stuck with this only option for internet until Google lays fiber on my street. There is a second video on You tube, I had to bail on the first live stream and send everyone over to the second live stream. You can watch it there or wait until tomorrow when This post gets updated with notes and the additional replay. And as for the classes… wow…. my refund policy is pretty clear. If you in anyway unhappy with my offering email me privately.
Hopefully more info on this topic tomorrow. The freezing and interruptions are vastly inconvenient for you Stacey, and annoying. Almost like being back with dial-up, shudder! Fiber optics do make a huge difference, let’s hope they lay it soon!
On your topic, In my estimation the biggest difference between free form fiber art weaving and SAORI is the lack of embellishments on SAORI weaving, all the ‘traditional’ SAORI that I have seen lacks anything other than yarn. Also the differing yarns that tend to show up in free form seem more different from each other than in SAORI, and also there is more of it. Yes, I have seen novelty yarn show up in SAORI, but in more discrete amounts. My understanding of SAORI is that there aren’t any rules. However, there is an esthetic that tends to dominate the Japanese versions, it’s slightly less evident in the US versions. US weavers tend to be looser if their approach, and the weaving are more colorful. Judging by what I have read, and the bloggers I regularly followed at one point, I’d say SAORI is more of a “process” and far less “a program”. Life is full of evolution and change, so who knows what direction it will end up going in.
Your name sounds familiar!! Did you use to have a store in downtown Wilmington?
Hi Karren. I have not. But I used to sell yarn at various other yarnshops.